Poll: Obama, Cardin up big in Maryland

Maryland voters appear to be strongly behind President Obama and Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, according to a poll released Wednesday.

A Gonzales Research poll of registered voters in the heavily Democratic state found that 55 percent plan to vote for Mr. Obama this November, compared to just 36 percent for Mr. Romney.

SEE RELATED:

The poll also found that Mr. Cardin is the overwhelming favorite to win the state’s U.S. Senate race, carrying 50 percent of support from voters to 22 percent for Republican Dan Bongino and 21 percent for independent Rob Sobhani, who has spent heavily on television advertising in recent weeks.

There has been virtually no polling done in Maryland in recent months, as the state’s presidential and Senate races have been widely considered foregone conclusions. No GOP presidential candidate has won the state since 1988, and no Republican senator has held a seat there since moderate three-term Sen. Charles “Mac” Mathias Jr. retired in 1987.

The state’s Democratic-leaning politics were on full display in the Gonzales poll, which showed that 51 percent of Maryland voters support a ballot question this fall that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state, compared to just 43 percent who oppose it.

The poll also found that 58 percent of voters support the state’s proposed Dream Act, which would allow college-aged illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates in certain cases if voters approve it this fall. Only 34 percent of respondents opposed the legislation.